asked the Minister for Finance if he will state who constitute the present Board of Trustees on the Upper Inny Drainage District, comprising portions of Counties Cavan, Meath and Westmeath; when this Board was elected, and whether statutory notice was given of the intention to have these trustees elected; if so, where was this notice published and when was the election held; if he will also state if any audit of the accounts of this Body has recently been held and by whom, and, if he is aware that this Body levied a rate for 1927-28 of four times the amount of the rate agreed upon between landlord and tenant and approved of by the Land Commission at the sale of the Oliver Nugent Estate, Clontyduffy, etc., Mountnugent, in 1914, and if this action has the approval of his Department.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - TRUSTEES OF INNY DRAINAGE BOARD.
The last election of the Drainage Board for the Upper Inny Drainage District of which the Commissioners of Public Works are aware took place in the Boardroom. Castlepollard, on the 11th October, 1920, when the following twelve proprietors were elected to form the Drainage Board for the District: Willoughby J. Bond, Farragh, Longford; Patrick Cooney, Carpenterstown, Castlepollard; James Cullen, Slieveboy, Castlepollard; Daniel Davitt, Castlepollard; James Holmes, Newcastle, Coole; E. J. Hope, Gartlsndstown, Mullingar; Thomas Hopkins, Multyfarnham; James Kelly, Multyfarnham; Thomas Markey, Ballinalack, Rathowen; James MacDermott, Ballinamel, Coole; Thomas Smyth, Garrysallagh, Mt. Nugent; Patrick Weir, Benison Lodge, Castlepollard, with L. M. Coughlan, Castlepollard, as secretary.
On the resignation of Mr. Coughlan in December, 1925, the Drainage Board. appointed Mr. J. P. Doran in his place. The Commissioners are not aware whether the usual statutory notices, i.e., an advertisement in some one or more of the newspapers circulating in the district, and the affixing of a copy of the notice to the outer door of the principal office of the Drainage Board were complied with, as there is no statutory obligation on the Commissioners of Works in the matter. The audit of the accounts of the Drainage Board is a matter solely for that Body as is also the levying of a Drainage Rate. The Commissioners have no power to intervene in these matters and they are not aware what rate was struck for the year 1927-28 by the Drainage Board.
Did I understand, the Parliamentary Secretary to say that the last election of the ratepayers on this Board was held in 1920? Is there any statutory obligation on the Board to hold an election every two or three years?
No.